The Elements of Suspense

All Stories Contain Certain Elements Plot Plot Character Character Setting Setting Dialogue Dialogue Narrative Narrative

Suspense Anxiety or apprehension resulting from an uncertain, undecided, or mysterious situation Dictionary.com

In suspense there must be an unknown; a suspicion, a mystery, a danger we expect In suspense there must be an unknown; a suspicion, a mystery, a danger we expect

Suspense (mystery, intrigue, tension) is built with: Facts Facts Innuendo Innuendo Atmosphere Atmosphere Action Action

Ways to deepen suspense… Dreams foreshadowing what may happen foreshadowing what may happen showing the character’s deepest fears, his haunting past showing the character’s deepest fears, his haunting past

Ways to deepen suspense… Clues journals / diaries / letters / notes / pictures, etc. journals / diaries / letters / notes / pictures, etc. physical evidence that can be used to determine time of death, how, and where physical evidence that can be used to determine time of death, how, and where

Ways to deepen suspense… The Weather the season can match or contrast the characters’ emotional state the season can match or contrast the characters’ emotional state

Ways to deepen suspense… The Senses the smell of blood, the stench of an alley the smell of blood, the stench of an alley the taste of fear the taste of fear reaction to finding a dead body reaction to finding a dead body the feel of blood-soaked clothing the feel of blood-soaked clothing

Ways to deepen suspense… The Villain his/her motivations or intentions his/her motivations or intentions simple greed, jealousy, money simple greed, jealousy, money the complicated serial killer mind the complicated serial killer mind

Ways to deepen suspense… Other characters plant red herrings plant red herrings shift suspicion onto them shift suspicion onto them